Mets sitting tight, for now

PORT ST. LUCIE Fla. – As the Mets continue to forgo signing shortstop Stephen Drew, opting to not surrender the draft pick and salary compensation that would come with the move, NL East rival Atlanta made waves Wednesday by adding free agent pitcher Ervin Santana.

Signing veteran shortstop Stephen Drew would cost the Mets a top draft pick and likely require a deal near $14 million.

Drew and Santana each turned down a qualifying offer, meaning any team signing either would have to forfeit a top draft pick, and likely offer a deal nearing the $14.1 million the qualifying offer would have paid. Atlanta and Santana agreed to a one-year, $14.1 million deal after the Braves discovered starter Kris Medlen likely needs Tommy John surgery.

For Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, Atlanta’s acquisition of a top free agent won’t be a factor in the Mets’ plans, even with Drew still available and questions remaining about incumbent starter Ruben Tejada — who already has made a pair of errors in camp.

"No. 1, it was a one-year deal. No. 2 Atlanta has had more than one loss from their starting rotation," Alderson said. "I don’t think it has any significant bearing on us."

With opening day less than three weeks away, shortstop appears to be the biggest area of concern for the Mets. Tejada enters this season off the worst campaign of his career as he played in just 57 games and hit .202 with a .259 on-base percentage. He’s also never hit more than one home run in a season, which harms a team lacking in pop.

Drew, who turns 31 Sunday, hit .253 with a .333 on-base percentage while hitting 13 homers and driving in 67 runs last year for Boston. Though he’s never been an All-Star, he would provide the Mets with an offensive upgrade at shortstop with his power.

Alderson has said that the Mets have the money to sign Drew, who is reportedly seeking a multiyear deal, but they would do it only under the right circumstances. The GM also said in February that the team won’t be signing any more players to high-value deals before the season, which is what it would likely take to get Drew.

Though the Mets have passed for now on signing Drew, Tejada is not giving them reason to have confidence in him this season. He’s missed time with a tight hamstring, and though he’s usually strong defensively, he’s made a pair of blunders. Alderson said Saturday that the Mets were not going to put the 24-year-old under a microscope.

"We continue to look at how he’s doing but it won’t be a judgment based on one or two or three games," Alderson said Wednesday. "We have a lot of spring training left. In the meantime, we’ll continue to look at what our options are."

Mets third baseman and captain David Wright, who will now have to face Santana on a regular basis, complimented the Braves for what he described as a great move.

As Atlanta bumped up its payroll, the Mets are slated to enter the season with theirs under $100 million for the third straight year. Wright isn’t concerning himself with the Mets passing on a free agent at a position of need, while divisional rivals are aggressive.

"If you’re not wearing this uniform I don’t worry about it," Wright said. "We have a very good front office, a very intelligent front office, and I trust them to make those decisions. I’m here to play third base, not be the deciding factor of who we sign or don’t sign. There has to be a separation of powers."